Ready Or Not, Gonna Make It To The City...

[laszlo_jamf]

When; May 19^th, from sunset to evening and beyond! (Just watch out for midnight, Cinderella...)
Rating; G to PG-13?
Characters; Anyone and everyone...and maybe a few more
Summary; Finals are over, the spring dance is here--finally a way for everyone, student and teacher, to relax! All the planning, preparation, and hard work has paid off. Students of all ages and grades are invited, and their teachers are sure to be there too. The school superintendents (read: the Deities) have done their very best to light up the Square. So whether you're from Westerberg High, Trinity Girls' School, Cutler's, Bikini Bottom Middle, or City U, you must have received your engraved invitation by now. Dress is formal, but the occasion is celebratory. Come one, come all. (And even those who aren't cursed may still come to take in the decorations, the food, the entertainment, and the merriment... or they can take pictures for blackmail when this is over.) So come and spend an evening under the stars...
Log;

[This is an open log for the Fast Times at City High dance event! Tags can be open or directed to another character--just throw a label in the subject line. Feel free to NPC wait staff, refreshments, music, and anything else you might encounter at such a soiree. Have fun!]

Comments

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Oh! There she was. Maybe Merlin had thought, subconsciously, that she would look for him there, but he was also just hungry. Even if they had eaten not that long ago.

"I'm trying to decide what to take; it all seems good."

So yes.

[charring]

"I might have to go for the cookies later. Watch out for the punch, though. I think someone already got to it." Not her. She wouldn't ever. But, leave it to any of her other friends to do so. Charlie's the type to just sit back and watch the madness.

There's a pause, an almost shy one, before Charlie's speaking again. "You look nice, by the way."

[destinedtobeunpopular]

The punch. Of course. At least, Charlie and he tend to be a little more nice with their pranks. Which is a good thing, right?

...oh.

"Oh. Uhm." Cheeks flushing just slightly, he turns his head away and rubs his index finger against his ear. Well. "I... S-so.. So do you."

[charring]

Spiking the punch is a little out of Charlie's comfort zone when it comes to pranks they pull.

"You okay?" She's grinning, smirking almost and stepping a bit closer to stand in front of him.

Well, that was different. She's probably told him on other occasions that he looked nice so...why the stuttering? Sorry, Merlin. Your friend catches everything.

[destinedtobeunpopular]

And, you know, he just tends to get flustered when people compliment him. Perhaps not quite to dis degree, it's just a... special occasion and... Yeah, just a special occasion, and an outfit that makes him feel a little more awkward and out of place than usual, so hearing that...

It's just. Nice. Yeah.

"I'm fine. Great, in fact," he says, tries to make his grin more casual as he turns his head to actually look at her.

He's still blushing, he's sure, but, ah... Whatever.

[charring]

Sure. Special occasion. The last dance of their last year at school. Goodbye, Ohtari. Hello...she had no clue what. She just hoped Merlin was still there for it. She'd be entirely lost without him. She studies him for a moment, chewing the inside of her cheek nervously before extending her hand.

"Come on. Dance with me." Sure it was a slow song that just started but, really, if they were here as just friends this should be okay, right?

[destinedtobeunpopular]

"..."

Okay, Merlin's giving that hand the most apprehensive look. But it's not because he doesn't want to dance with Charlie. Of course he wants to; it's Charlie. There's just... you know. One thing.

Slow dance or not...

"I can barely walk; I'm really not sure I should dance," he says, a little strained as if he's suppressing laughter. "So unless you fancy the idea of possibly getting knocked over..."

She should know this, of course.

[charring]

She knows full well and even shrugs slightly at his comment. Charlie understands his concern. She's not waving it off. That'd be rude.

However, she steps over to him and slips her hand in his, squeezing slightly and looking him in the eyes.

"We'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to you." She starts towards the dance floor, still watching him. "Just one dance. Okay?"

[destinedtobeunpopular]

...why is she looking at him like that? And why is it making something in him feel all light and warm? Charlie knows him better than anyone, with the exception of his mother, so that isn't strange in itself, just... the warmth of her hand, and her eyes...

His cheeks are heating up again.

"..oh, fine. No need to beg." He chuckles quietly and follows her.

[charring]

She's feeling it, too. It makes no sense to her at all, the sudden butterflies in her stomach a bit new. Not entirely unwelcome. Just unusual when it comes to Merlin.

The dance floor is pretty crowded when Charlie and Merlin finally get to it but Charlie doesn't hesitate. She almost never hesitates, not when there's something she wants to do and right now she really wants that one dance with Merlin. Once they're at a decent enough spot, she slips her arms around his shoulders and the butterflies return when she notices how close that and the crowd brings them.

Not that she hasn't been this close to him before. It just felt...different this time. Exciting, in a way.

He's just right there and she's hyper aware of how right there he is.

"After this, we can do whatever you want. I promise."

[destinedtobeunpopular]

It's obviously off to a great start, seeing as Merlin ends up stumbling on the way to a good spot already. But that's mainly because he's a little distracted, wondering about what Rosella told him and when it would be appropriate to... well. Talk to Charlie about it. He really isn't sure.

Maybe he should try to see if he can sense a right time, or something, he decides as she turns to him, and he moves his own arms around her waist.

"That probably means stuffing our faces, then. Or me stuffing my face, anyway." A beat. "If I step on your toes, remember you brought it onto yourself."

[charring]

"I'll remember. I'd never blame you for it anyway, or think you did it on purpose."

This...was actually really nice. Not that she expected it to be bad. She just wasn't expecting it to feel this natural. And there was something different about it, too. Something oddly new or maybe it was just something she hadn't noticed before. Whatever it was, it wasn't helping the butterflies in her stomach or the faint red across her cheeks and nose. Not that she minded either of those.

And she couldn't help but keep her eyes on him. The other people at the dance weren't nearly as fascinating. Or in all likely-hood she somehow forgot they were there and it was just her and Merlin, swaying softly to the song playing from the speakers.

She's finally caught on to how distracted he seems and she looks worried for a moment. "Merlin? What's wrong?"

[destinedtobeunpopular]

No, of course Charlie wouldn't blame him for it or anything. She knows him, very well, so perhaps he shouldn't be surprised when she catches onto his mind wandering a little.

Even if she is really quite a good distraction; especially the slight flush and... well, as cheesy as it sounds; her eyes. And smile. And... well. He's always liked... looking at her, hasn't he? It's always made him happy.

"Hm?" he asks, blinking innocently. "Fine, just fine!" What do you mean that's not quite the right way to respond to her question? Close enough! "Just... thinking."

[charring]

"Thinking about...?" Merlin, Charlie is a relentless snoop when she wants to be and right now you have her concerned. She's going to try to ease the information from him as best as she can.

Besides, she'd been thinking about her own conversation with Rosella for quite some time and was starting to wonder how right the girl was. She just wasn't sure how to bring the topic up.

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Oh, hell. It probably wouldn't hurt to say anything now; they're them, after all. He's being silly, really, he is. Perhaps he really can't blame Rosella for being a little pushy about it.

"I..." He shrugs, barely noticeable. "I talked with Rosella a little while ago."

[charring]

"Yeah?" Charlie doesn't sound all that surprised, honestly. More amused than surprised. "So did I. A text conversation." Oh, lord. She'll have to show Merlin these texts later. They were...well, they were something she's been thinking over repeatedly.

"I bet I can guess what about." A pause. She smiles. "Us. Right?"

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Of course Charlie doesn't sound surprised. There's nothing to be surprised about, at all. Rosella likes talking with them, it seems, and it's very often, indeed, about them.

Merlin laughs, softly and pretty much under his breath, and relaxes. And stumbles a little because of course. But if Charlie can smile and be all casual about it, then there's definitely nothing to be all worried about. Is there? Aside from that whole would a relationship ruin our friendship in case it goes to hell thing. And hwo typical is that?

He doesn't want to think it would. He wants to think them tighter than that, so much that a relationship would really be more of an expansion than anything else.

"Yeah. Us."

[charring]

"Oh," Charlie's smile softens some and she's briefly tempted to tuck hair behind her ear, a rare nervous habit because Charlie doesn't get nervous. But there's something about the way she smiles, maybe, that suggests that there's something about this conversation she likes. And she's a bit relieved they're having it.

She doesn't think a relationship would ruin things, honestly. She wouldn't let it. And, really, it wouldn't be that much different from now, would it?

Rosella is winning, here, and Charlie is actually okay with it.

"Well," Charlie speaks confidently, hoping it helps Merlin somehow. "I...don't mind the idea of 'us'. Rosella's version of 'us'." She's smiling more, a bit shyly. Okay, maybe she does get a bit nervous on occasion but the aforementioned confidence? Still in her voice as she speaks. "In fact, I really like that idea. Mainly because I've realized I really like you."

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Isn't it rather movie-esque to have this conversation during a slow dance and all too? At the same time it makes Merlin feel a little silly, it feels rather... appropriate. And why the hell not?

"I always knew I really like you," he says, expression bashful as his gaze briefly flickers to the side. "I just haven't considered it to be... like that. I'm not sure I really know yet, either, but maybe it's not that important." And he snorts softly. "Not that it would be Rosella's version, then, but ours."

It's beginning to sound like a better and better idea, too. It's not like things would be very different, and he thinks that's the greatest part of it.

[charring]

Charlie's face is still a touch red and her grin has returned. He's always liked her? That...for about a second, she thought that didn't sound right but the more she thought about it, the more she took into consideration how they were with each other, she was sure she'd missed something and clearly had to work on her observation skills.

"Our version." Theirs. All theirs. She liked that a lot. "So...what do we do now?"

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Merlin shrugs. "It wouldn't surprise me if there are people we could ask who could give us this sort of pattern and some rules to follow or something, like first, second and third base and second date you do this and fourth you do that and..." He shakes his head with a soft laugh carried on an exhale. "But I guess we just... do what we feel like doing?"

They've always done that, so why stop?

[charring]

"So basically, we're just going with it?" She considers this a moment, head tilted slightly and teeth worrying her lower lip a tad before she nods once. "That works. That sounds like how we usually do things. Make our own rules, and all."

This is about when the song is over and since Charlie isn't much for dancing, she looks up at Merlin before tilting her head towards a vacant part of the square. It's a bit far off but the crowd around them was getting loud and she'd rather not shout the conversation from here out.

[destinedtobeunpopular]

"Exactly."

He knew Charlie would understand. And he doesn't need anymore motioning than that to slip his hand into hers and tug her with him in that direction.

[charring]

She follows, stopping long enough to remove the heels she was wearing with a sigh, looking at them with mild dislike. "Never, ever let me wear heels again. I don't care what the occasion is."

When they're far enough away from the crowd, Charlie turns and faces Merlin, arms going around his shoulders again. "Now that I have you to myself and my ears are done ringing...are we...are we an 'us' now or are we waiting for something big to happen to make it official?"

[destinedtobeunpopular]

Have him to herself...

Merlin very much likes the sound of that. Not like they don't usually have one another to themselves, but... Heh. It just has a different ring to it now. And he slides his arms back around Charlie's waist because why not.

"I think we can say we're an us."

It's not really that much different. It just has another meaning, this time.